All I wanna do
by Pen to Paper Writer
Summary: This is a story based loosely on Hearts song "All I want to do is make love to you." She picks him up on a rainy night and loses all control from there. He tries desperately tries to find her because he fell for her and she does the same, although for a much different reason.
1. Chapter 1

All I want to do...

Their last case was a long one. It was probably long to her due to the fact that they went weeks without a solid lead. This was not your typical garden-variety murder. Every time she thought back to the case a chill ran up and down her spine. It was a child, and for her these were the worst cases. The child was a product of a mother and father who could not stand to be with one another. It was the wife who in the end caused the child's death thinking she would take the one thing the husband loved the most away from him.

The girl was 4. After the split, she was kept locked away from life. The mother would just leave her there in her room locked up with no food, no care and most of all, no love. The father had always asked how she was doing, but he received the standard answer, "she's fine" or "she's at a play date today" it wasn't until it was too late, when he had found out she had died, that he realized he could have saved her. The little girl tried to leave her room, and in doing so she broke the window and sliced a major artery and bled to death within minutes.

When the mother found her she needed to put what happened to her daughter behind her. So she did the only thing that came to her mind. She took her body and got rid of it.

This is how they got the case. The little girl was found in a dumpster. It was only with the husband's instance that the detectives took a deeper look into his wife's story. Now that they had a confession the case was closed. Kate did not want to go home right away, so she decided a drink was in order. A drink would give her the opportunity to unwind and relax.

Departing the 12th she got into her personal car, deciding to leave the Crown Victoria parked where it was. The weather forecast called for heavy downpours all day and it had just started to rain again when she was leaving. She pulled out onto the avenue and came to a red light. It was teeming rain and looking to see a couple with an upturned umbrella trying to dodge the rain, she really felt for anyone who was caught out in this tonight.

The light changed green and she was off once again. She was heading south towards the bar. As she turned the corner she looked to the right and there was a very expensive BMW i8 parked off to the side of the road. If it was not for her quick reaction she would have hit the man standing by the side of the road. He was dressed only in a button-down shirt and pants, no umbrella, no coat. Who in their right mind goes out in this weather so unprepared?

Kate pulled alongside and rolled the window down and asked if everything was okay.

"Are you okay? She asked.

"Yeah, but the tire on my car has seen better days"

"I'm sorry. I am heading to get a quick drink at the bar a couple of blocks from here. I could give you a lift and then you could call someone to fix your car."

"I'd love a lift, thanks." He accepted her offer with a smile.

As he sat down in the seat she could tell he was drenched and lowered the setting on the A/C. They drove in silence. She never asked him his name, she just drove. But then something had Kate thinking….was there such a thing as love at first sight? Fate even? Her current boyfriend did not have a romantic bone in his body. She loved him unconditionally, but he never returned the love. Her boyfriend could not give her what she wanted the most in this world…a child. He had contracted some type of fever while he was on one of his lifesaving missions abroad leaving him impotent. Their lovemaking was out of this world, but his condition was always in the back of her mind. Instead of going to the bar she looked over to her passenger and the way he looked sitting in the passenger seat she was drawn to him. There was something familiar about him, she just could not figure out what it was. Her thoughts about Josh's comments came back to her.

Her last conversation with Josh right before he left had been ridiculous it was actually more of a knockdown, drag-out fight, minus the physical contact. Their talk started off okay, but then spiraled downward quickly. He was ashamed about his condition in the baby-making department, she tried to tell him that it did not matter, only it did. But before he had left for his 5 months of self-imposed exile, he told her in not so many words that if she had not cleared out by the time he got back, there would be hell to pay. For him they were over.

They pulled up in front of a top end hotel and before Kate lost her nerve she put her hand on his thigh and looked at him. He seemed to know what she was thinking before she ever voiced the words. Not saying a word they both got out of the car and made it to the front desk. Still having not said anything, they moved quietly to their room after checking in. It was awkward at first, Kate had never done something like this ever before in her life. With the current disarray of her ending relationship with her always absent now ex-boyfriend, she wanted this.

For some reason he could read her. He was kind and gentle to her needs. He pleased her before he worried about his own needs. They made love all night long and even though she didn't know his name, she was falling for him. He wanted only the best for her and he showed her how much that night. They went about 8 rounds seriously? Are they robots? HA! before he had finally fallen asleep. She just laid there in the over comfortable bed staring at the ceiling. As she thought, she looked over at his chest taking in air rising and falling. Yeah she was definitely falling for him. Due to her current status she decided that she could not…no would not let this go on any further than tonight. Looking at the bedside clock it read 4:45 am. Her mind was made up. She slipped out from under his arm that had draped lovingly across her chest and retrieved her clothes and got dressed. Sitting down at the desk she turned on the light and started to write a letter to him.

She finished the letter and looked it over one last time as she read it back to herself,

I told him I am the flower you are the seed

We walked in the garden we planted a tree

Don't try to find me, please don't you dare

Just live in my memory, you'll always be there…

She folded the letter and placed it into an envelope and sealed it. Walking back over to the bedside, she placed it on the nightstand where he would be sure see it. She gave his still form one last look and turned to leave. As she got to her car she realized two things. First, that it was better this way. She had the whole night of love from a man which she can say is more that her boyfriend had ever offered, and secondly with all that happened last night she wondered why he never made a phone call to fix his car. Who just leaves a $85,000.00 BMW parked unattended on the streets of NYC? He must be rich or something.


	2. Chapter 2

2

He woke with a start. He laid there and wondered just fore a second where it is he exactly was. Then it all came back to him, the downpour, the flat tire and being drenched. Then she pulled up. Her eyes were the most beautiful feature about her. He could get lost in her eyes. He roused from his thoughts and cautiously slid his hand over to where she should be. The only thing he felt was a set of cold sheets. Their lovemaking last night had been extraordinary. He was a gentle lover and she had shown him that she gave as good as she received. He closed his eyes and thought about last night once more. Finally deciding to get up, he looked to the clock and noticed it was still early. He was one who never got up at the crack of dawn. The clock read 6:55. He made his way to the shower. Getting dressed he checked out of the hotel, called the car service asking to pick him up at the hotel and then he called the shop to have someone retrieve his BMW.

All he could think about was her. There was something about her he could not shake. She was everything. He was one who believed in fate, but this, this angel was most definitely sent from heaven. Just before he went to the door he glanced one last time to make sure he had remembered everything. That's when he noticed the envelope propped up against the light on the bedside nightstand. He walked over and picked it up. Opening it he read the short note.

 _I am the flower you are the seed_

 _We walked in the garden we planted a tree_

 _Don't try to find me, please don't you dare_

 _Just live in my memory, you'll always be there…_

He dropped the note and felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him. Why would she ask him not to look for her? And why would she just settle for the memory of last night when he knew without a doubt that they could be so great together?

Right then and there he needed to find her, there was no question in his mind. He arrived at the loft around 10 am. His daughter was just about ready to head out for her afternoon class at Columbia.

"Dad! What happened to you last night? I was so worried. You never called."

"It's a long story, how much time do you have? The reason I did not call was because my cell was soaked, I might need to replace it."

"I could spare about 10 minutes." She told him honestly.

He told her about his encounter, everything but the sex part, but he thought she got the idea.

"So you don't even know her name?"

"No, I'm at a loss."

"What about anything else, like what was she driving?"

"It was an SUV." He now had a thought. He had a friend in DMV and maybe he could narrow down who she could possibly be.

"Well, Dad I need to get going. And if I know you as well as I think I do, you are going to be searching for her."

His daughter was right. That was his goal. He watched her leave and then he beat feet to his office and started to make phone calls.

/ / / / / /

It was a long and exhausting six months for Rick Castle. He had exhausted just about every contact in the city he knew, and he now owed favors to some of his friends but still he came up empty. It was like this woman did not exist on the planet earth. His friend at DMV came up empty. All he knew was that she drove a late model SUV, forest green in color, Volvo or possibly a Cadillac. It led nowhere. He even went as far as calling an official NYPD (off-duty, of course) sketch artist. He had a vague likeness, so he bet everything on that sketch. He posted it in the area he met her and also at the hotel. He received a couple of calls but after running down the sightings, they all ended up being a wild goose chase.

Alexis had lent a hand when she had some free time. She went about his quest the logical way.

"Dad. About how old was she?"

"If I had to venture a guess, I'd say somewhere around 30 to 35."

"Okay did she look like the professional type or maybe a soccer mom?"

"Definitely a woman in a professional job. She looked like a lawyer or even a doctor."

"Okay, now we are getting somewhere." She said hopefully.

"What's the use Pumpkin? She said she did not want to be found."

"Dad, do you have feelings for this woman?"

"That goes without saying."

"Then bear with me for a second, do you remember her hair color and eye color?"

"She was a brunette and had hair to her mid-back, with the most piercing green eyes I have ever seen."

"That's good. I know that you hired a sketch artist, but I have a program on my laptop that we could use to get a better likeness of her." Rick's brow raised with hope.

"Well, what are we waiting for then. Let's try it out."

After about an hour they had a better idea of who she could possibly be. Rick printed the sketch and compared it to the first sketch. The second one looked more like her than the first. He plastered the image in the same locations he had been to 6 months prior. And then he waited. The phone never rang. He was slowly going into denial, and for a second he thought that he had imagined their meeting thinking that is was all in his head. This is where he was now, a year and a half after he fell for her. Out of information, used a lot of cash, and was still back at square one.

Deciding that he needed air, he picked up his coat and his keys and left the loft. Walking aimlessly without a clue about where he should look for her next. The sun was just starting to set when he decided that he was done pitying himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a green blur drive by him. He turned to look out across 7th ave and he almost fell over. It was her in a 2013 or 2014 Volvo XC90. He darted out into the street and cursed himself that he did not react quicker. All he could get off the license plate was a J. He watched as she drove quickly away. A horn sounded and it made him jump. He almost was hit by a yellow cab. Stepping back onto the side walk he was sure that it was her. The right hair color and car. This just made him more determined to locate her...


	3. Chapter 3

3

Kate Beckett was a damn good detective. She was one to find the justice for the victims of these heinous crimes. While she could never understand the motives of how one person could actually take someone's life, she always found a way to the truth. But now she had a problem. And it covered more fronts that she had liked. It had been 9 weeks since she had met and made love to the man of her dreams. Despite all the little voices in her head telling her that it was a terribly bad idea to fall for him, she did exactly what those voices told her not to.

Even though their meeting had been brief, she knew that she had feelings for him even before she left him early that morning. And this was her problem. She might have let him "love" her a little too much. So this is why she is lying on an exam table, in a paper gown, and with her feet in stirrups letting her OBGYN give her an exam. Her OBGYN doctor had been sympathetic to her, she had been he OB since she was 16.

"So Kate, what brings you here today?"

"Doctor, I'm about 8 weeks late. I think I might be pregnant."

Th doctor stopped her exam and looked up at Kate with a question bubbling to the front of her mind. Knowing that her boyfriend was not able to father any children, so she asked her the question anyway.

"So Kate I'm not being nosy but I thought Josh couldn't have any children?"

"Yeah Doc, you're not wrong about that."

The doctors face got blood red quickly. "So Kate what do you plan on doing? I know a doctor that can take care of your pro..."

Kate cut the doctor off. "This is NOT a problem and I'm not going to get an abortion!"

Seeing that Kate had made up her mind, the doctor finished the exam and told Kate to meet her in her office.

As Kate sat down in the chair across from her the doctor started speaking.

"Kate I will prescribe you some prenatal vitamins, and a really good book on motherhood. I really think you should read this book it explains a lot."

"So can you tell from the blood work what I'm having?"

"Actually no. But we will take care of that on your next visit. I'd like to get you in here in a month's time. Then we should get a clearer picture of what you're going to have."

Kate held tightly onto the appointment card made out for her next months appointment. But now it was back to the daily grind. On her drive back to the 12th, every thought was about him. What was he doing right now, Is he thinking about me? She quickly squashed those thoughts, because she meant what she said in the letter to him. But now since she had this issue to deal she with, she was second-guessing her decision.

The next month flew by. She had almost forgotten her OB appointment. Making it to the office just a little late she takes a seat in the reception area. Her name is called and the doctor sees her. She is on the exam table once again and at first the gel is a little cold. The sonogram is finished and she now has an image of her daughter. She is prescribed another medication to help with the never ending morning sickness. Getting home after filling the prescription she finds something easy and quick to eat for dinner.

/ / / /

Kate had already made it midway into her second trimester and she needed to tell her captain that she was expecting a baby. Although she did not show a baby bump yet she knew the time would need to come soon. Deciding that there was no better time than the present she got up from her desk and knocked on the captain's door.

"Enter" was the response.

"Captain, do you have a minute?"

"Sure detective."

"Sir, there's something I need to tell you."

"Oh? Is there something about a case you need to talk about?"

Kate thought about how to tell him that this has nothing to do with her work ethic and everything to do with her personal life. So she just came right out with it.

"Sir, in a month or two I will no longer to be able to go out in the field."

"Beckett, why would you purposely pull yourself from investigating? Is there a problem with any of your junior detectives? Or are you just fed up with not getting the results you need to solve a case right away? You know tha..."

Kate cut him off in mid-sentence. He was thinking that this was work related and she did not have the heart to tell him that it wasn't.

"Sir, I am going to have a baby!"

Captain Montgomery was slack-jawed. So many thoughts ran through his head, first being how this could happen. He knew about Josh's condition and then dropped into his chair, thinking.

After a while, he was finally able to put his thoughts into words. "Kate, does Josh know?

"Actually sir, that's a funny story," Kate said trying to go for the humor in what she was about to say.

"You see..." Kate was interrupted when Ryan walked into the captain's office and started to update him on their current case.

"Detective Ryan, could you hold that thought for just one second." "Kate you were saying?"

"Sir, I think this is a topic for a later date. I just wanted to inform you about my intentions."

"Understood, but this is far from over detective!"

"So Ryan, what do you have?"

Ryan looked at Kate with a puzzled look as she walked past him. Just then the captain asked him again what the update was. Ryan explained and then left. After sitting at his desk, he motioned to Espo and he turned around to face his partner.

"Yo Espo, somethings go on with Beckett."

"Ryan, this case has her all stressed out. This is a case where nothing makes any sense. Not the usual suspects in this one." Espo tried to explain.

"Javi, it's not this case. I think there's something more to it on a non-work level."

"Nah, just run down that lead and see where it brings us. Beckett would never keep us in the dark, hell we are like brothers and sister."

Ryan just went back to work. This was going to eat at him until he figured it out.

Kate had all the resources to find her man. But with nothing to go on other than a physical description, she was spinning her wheels. How hard could this be...she thought to herself. I am a detective for god sakes. This should not be that hard. Kate had run his description through the FBI's NCIC and came up empty. What she needed was a name. The description was vague and returned about 651 hits just in the NYC area alone. It would take time, but she had no other way to locate him. This would be a project she would keep to herself, away from the prying eyes of the precinct. She would come in early and stay a little late to sift through the results.

 **T-14 days!**


	4. Chapter 4

4

Kate was rushing down 7th Ave. She was driving like a woman on a mission. She had been late for her last month's OB appointment and there was no way she would be late for this one. With the case that they had just closed, she got delayed making sure that the report was perfect. Being perfect put her about 10 minutes behind schedule. This is why her forest green SUV was moving quickly down 7th Ave. in the mid-evening traffic. She stepped on the gas trying to make a yellow light before it turned red. Sailing through the intersection she looked to her right and thought for a second she noticed a familiar figure just about to step off the sidewalk. All she had time to do was catch a glimpse of him before she sped by. She thought to herself as she eyed the rear view mirror, "Nah, it couldn't be him." It looked like whoever it was almost got creamed by a yellow cab.

Sitting once again in her OB's office, she waited patiently. Waiting sucked because it let her mind wander about him again. She had exhausted just about every investigation avenue in her arsenal, but she came up with nothing at all. Her name was called and she put the magazine she actually was not reading back down on the table. The P.A. walked with her into the exam room asking her common health and wellness questions as they entered. She then took her vitals and told Kate the doctor would be in shortly.

Dr. Fisher knocked before entering and then opened the door. Holding Kate's file, she sat in front of her and started her exam. As she was doing this, she asked questions about Kate's morning sickness and her diet, exercise and sleep. Kate answered that she was doing all she could to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and she ate almost every meal, but there were times when she had to skip one or two during the week. Her job provided enough exercise chasing down suspects and her morning sickness was just about non-existent.

"Kate you're doing fine. Everything looks good. Have you had time to read that motherhood book I gave to you?"

Kate had found a very interesting spot on the floor to stare at. This gave doctor Fisher her answer.

"Kate listen, that book might help you. You will be a single parent and this in itself will be a very demanding job, so far more than being a kick-ass detective."

"I promise to start and finish it before my next visit."

"Good, and I will ask you about it."

"Any advice until next visit?" Kate asked.

"Just that you should consider not putting yourself at risk with your job from this point forward."

"Thanks, Dr. Fisher. I will be on desk duty starting on Monday, so nothing to worry about there."

"That's good. I'll see you in a month, and then we will need to move the appointments to twice a month after that."

/ / / /

Being on desk duty had it's advantages and, of course, it's disadvantages. Since being on desk duty for the last month, and due to her growing baby bump, it was hard to keep her secret. Espo and Ryan had asked if she was going to have it and keep it or would she give it up for adoption. Kate just gave them a harsh look and rolled her eyes at them.

"Guys your question doesn't even dignify an answer. What I do with my life is no concern of yours." She was a little harsh, but she needed to let them know that their worry for her should not concern them.

"Kate we're just looking out for you. We did not mean to imply that you would not keep your baby." Ryan said apologetically.

"Yeah, well it sure sounded that way." Kate softened a little. "Listen, guys, I know that you care, but this is my mess and I will deal with it."

"Okay Kate, but if you need anything, anything at all you just let us know." As Espo pointed between himself and Ryan they both turned back to their desks and started to work.

It was close to 5 pm. Kate was watching the seconds tick away and without warning she rose from her chair, turned off her computer picked up her coat and her bag and walked out of the 12th. Espo just looked at Ryan and shrugged his shoulders.

She wanted, no she needed to find him. She was carrying his child and although at the start it was only a one night stand, her feelings for him had changed drastically. There had to be a way to locate this man. She was sitting on her couch at her apartment. By, chance there was a copy of yesterday's paper open to the middle. She gazed down at it and something had caught her attention...

/ / / / /

"Alexis please be serious here. I have tried almost everything to find her and I have come up empty."

"Dad, I am sure that you have not tried everything. If you had you would have found her by now."

"But there's nothing left to try!"

"I know that this is not my father saying these words to me, his only daughter!"

"Okay, then what do we do? Smarty pants"

"Well let's start with what we do know. She is in her mid-thirties, she is a brunette, she has a professional type job, she drives a green SUV, and she has you totally wrapped around her finger." Alexis giggles a little after that last comment.

"So where does that lead us then?"

"Dad I'm ashamed at your lack of doing the research!"

"Alexis this is pointless. We are still no further now than when we started 6 months ago."

"Ahhhh but you're forgetting one thing."

"I am? What could that possibly be?"

"For a murder mystery writer you seem to be overlooking the basics."

"Oh daughter of mine, enlighten me with your never ending knowledge."

"Okay, let's go over your whole encounter with your mystery woman."

Rick was not seeing her logic but decided to play along with her anyway.

"I was driving home in the rain and I hit a very large pothole. Getting out and looking at how bad my tire was, I was almost run over by this green SUV. She pulled up along side of me and asked if I needed a ride. Then instead of taking me home or getting my car repaired we went to a very expensive hotel. At the desk, I registered as Alex Rodgers. Getting to the room we were all over each other. I had bent down to untie my shoes and then my AMEX Black card had fallen out of my shirt pocket. She bent down and picked it up, and placed it back in my shirt pocket. Then we had a beautiful night together and when I woke the next morning she was gone!"

"Dad, don't you see!"

"No, not really."

Okay, let me walk you through it. You said she picked up the AMEX card and put it back in your shirt pocket...Right?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Rick is still not understanding her train of thought.

"She touched it. Have you handled it since then?"

"Actually, no. It's should still be in my shirt pocket. After that night the only prior purchase I made with it was the trip we took to San Francisco, so I wanted to give the card a rest." Rick remembered that he thought he lost it after their encounter and ordered a replacement card. He quickly rushes off to his bedroom and into the large walk-in closet.

Alexis runs right behind him and stops short of the closets doorway almost running into her dad.

"How could I have been so dense?" As he carefully removed the card from the shirt pocket.

"Dad, quick put that into a zip lock bag and get it to a guy you know, and DON'T TOUCH THE FRONT OF IT!."

They had a lead. Now all they needed to do is get the card to his investigator to run her fingerprint...


	5. Chapter 5

5

She thought she had a lead. As she looked through the center of the paper there was an advertisement for a book signing at a Borders bookstore in mid-town. She tried to get the bookstore to release the name of the author who was making an appearance there, but the manager was being a jerk. He told her what he told every other fan, "You will need to buy a book and wait in line like every other fan!"

She did not even know his name, but the way he carried himself and his passion for the written word that night had given her the clue that he was either a poet, a speech writer, or he had even penned a novel or two. He had money too, hell he used a Black AMEX to pay for the room that night. She had been calling every book store that had an ad for a book signing. She needed to start somewhere and she thought this was her best bet. It's just that this would take time and she had very little of that. She could not, not search for him and come up empty...again! She was getting close to her due date and she was feeling run down by the middle of the day. This kid was taking all the energy she had to make it through the day.

She was waiting in line to see a new author from Hyperion. She was just about 5 people away from him when the clerk had told everyone that the author was taking a short break. She was given a plastic card with a number on it holding her place in line. By the time she could crane her head out in front of the other people who were in line ahead of her to see, he had already retreated behind the curtain. She went to the book store cafe and sat at a table with a bottle of water. She would need to wait the 30 minutes before he returned.

/ / / /

Rick had waited patiently for his "guy" to give him an ID from the finger print that he gave to him. It had been a week and he was getting antsy. So after the call from his guy earlier today he found himself waiting in his office. The investigator had entered the office with a plain brown folder. Looking very mad at his client, he started to talk.

"What do you take me for, Rick? A FOOL? He said with a raised voice. Do you know who this print belongs to?"

"Well no Gino, that was the whole reason I had you run her print to find out who she is."

"Rick, I was almost arrested over this little job I did for you!"

"What are you talking about Gino? How did that happen?"

"Well, it seems that your mystery woman is a member of the NYPD. I almost had my ass thrown in a sling because I ran the print of an active law enforcement detective. That's how that happened!"

"Gino, I had no idea." Gino looked at Rick and he noticed that his answer was a sincere one. A little calmer now, Gino asked, "So do you still want to know her name?"

Rick was acting like a kid at Christmas. "You know I do, Gino."

"Okay then. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Her name is Katherine Houghton Beckett. D.O.B. 11/17/79. Age 36, works as a detective first class in the 12th precinct homicide division. That's about all the information I could get my hands on without raising any red flags and getting my ass thrown in jail."

"Gino, I could kiss you!"

"No that's okay, just give me my usual payment and we'll call it even."

"Okay." Rick reached into his jacket pocket very slowly and pulled out an envelope. He handed it to Gino. Gino opened the envelope and his eyes went wide as he counted the cash.

"Rick, this is not the amount that we agreed on."

"Gino, for me it is!" Gino was stunned. Rick had paid him 5 times what he was asking for to do this job. His hand quickly placed the ten thousand dollars into his inside jacket pocket.

"Rick, if you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to call me."

"Thanks, Gino. I will."

Rick turned and quickly left. Now that he had her name, he would finally get to see her again.

/ / / / /

Kate listened as the announcement was made over the store's PA sound system.

"Attention book fans, the wait is over. The author will be back at his table ready to sign your copy of his new book. So please come back to the line with your numbered card."

Kate got up from the table she was sitting at, taking the numbered card out of her purse. When she returned to the line she gave the store manager her number. She had her eyes glued to the table he was going to be sitting at and watched intently. This was it, she thought to herself. She would finally see him after so long. The curtain parted and his aide stepped out from behind the curtain. Holding it open for him, she watched as he walked over to the table. Kate's heart sank in her chest. Studying him closely, she realized that it wasn't him. Frustrated she left her place in the line and walked out of the book store. Sadly, she took the folded newspaper from the bag and she crossed off the location she was just at. There was a third signing at 3 pm and she could just make it if she hurried. Raising her hand to hail a quickly approaching taxi, she heard the driver screech to a halt. Getting in, she gave the address and they were off within seconds.

/ / / / /

Rick ran up the stairs to his loft because the elevator was on the top floor and he didn't want to wait for it to come back down. Reaching his floor he hastily put the key in the door and swung it open. Hearing the noise of the door hitting the wall, Alexis looked up from the book she was reading.

"Alexis, I have her name!"

All Alexis could do was look at him...


	6. Chapter 6

6

Kate just barely made it to Barnes & Noble on 54th and Lexington Avenue just in time. The author was there already and he was promoting his new thriller about how time travel can affect the future. Kate really did not believe in time travel so much, she just wanted to get her eyes on the man who wrote it. The line was a lot shorter than the previous line at Borders and she was so very thankful for that. Her body had been going through major changes due to the small life growing inside of her. Right now that major change was her swollen ankles. And add to that the need to pee just about every 10 minutes made her very irritable. She waited for about 3 minutes when the author had finally walked out onto the stage. Again she was left disappointed. It turns out that the author in question was not what she expected. This author was around 25 years old and it was a female. She really couldn't catch a break.

She was going about finding him all wrong. She needed to be more methodical in her thinking, so back to the drawing board she went. Recounting the events from that night she painstakingly went over all his little quirks. As she remembers him she thinks that he has a calm manner, he seemed to her that he likes to be organized, he was handsome, and he, of course, had a lot of money, and he drove a BMW. All of which any man in the city could possess. Now on a sexual level, he was the most considerate lover she had ever been with. He had put her first and to her that was a first. Josh never cared enough to please her. He was more of a wham-bam kind of guy and when they were finished he'd just roll over and go to sleep. Leaving her unsatisfied. No, her mystery man had shown her compassion that night and after leaving the next morning she was so painfully made aware of that fact in a good way. Muscles that have not been used like that in a while now burned from overuse for days after their meeting.

/

Alexis was looking at her dad. She could not believe that they had a name. Now if he would just tell her this small tidbit of information she would stop looking at him as if she wanted to kill him.

"Well, dad?"

"Oh yeah, sorry."

"Don't leave me hanging out to dry here, out with it!"

"Alexis, let me say tha-" Alexis cut him off before he even finished.

"Dad, so help me, if you don't tell me her name I swear I'll ki-" Now it was Ricks turn to cut her off.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett!" He said triumphantly.

"WOW, what parent gives a kid the middle name of Houghton?"

"I'm not too sure. But now we have a name and a profession."

"Well go on tell me, I swear it's like pulling teeth with you."

"She is a detective first grade at the 12th precinct. She is 36 and she lives in So Ho. Practically right under our noses!"

"Alright whats our next move?"

"Well, I thought a covert operation was in order. Are you up for the challenge?"

"You bet I am. When do we start?"

"I was thinking first light tomorrow morning. This way we can stake out the 12th precinct to see when she gets there and get the intel we need."

"Good idea. If that's the case I'm heading to bed now since it's almost 11."

"Okay, then I will turn in too. Hey, do you want to synchronize our watches?"

"Seriously, dad, you know that I don't even wear a watch. You're unbelievable!"

With her last comment, they both went to their respective rooms and went to sleep. 5 am would come soon enough. The alarm clock was blaring loudly and Rick swatted at where it should have been. He kept feeling for it to silence the damn thing but every time he went to hit it, it was not there. Opening his eyes, he found Alexis dressed standing at the side of his bed holding the alarm clock in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Every time he would swipe, she would move it making him miss, prolonging the annoying beeping.

"Come on dad, your never going to get your hands on this clock, so get out of bed."

"Okay Alexis, hey you brought me a coffee? He asked.

"No, yours is still out in the pot. Now come on we have work to do. Remember the early bird gets the worm!

Rick had then just gotten a bad taste in his mouth. Birds, worms...he shuddered at the thought. Up and out of bed he took a shower and got dressed. With all the time he took to get ready he was amazed that they were actually leaving the loft before 5:30 am. They went outside into the early morning and to his surprise it was warmer than previous mornings.

They decided to dress as tourists. Large rimmed sunglasses, floppy hats and loud Hawaiian shirts. The only thing Rick was missing were Bermuda shorts, sandals and socks to complete the outfit. They arrived by cab at the 12th precinct. Rick and Alexis cross the street away from the front doors and go over their plan. Rick will stay directly across from the entrance and Alexis will be closer to the police parking lot. They have both entrances covered. Strolling over to the Starbucks Rick orders coffee for Alexis and himself. It's 5:48 when he returns with the coffee. There is no way he will miss her coming to work. As they watch the comings and goings of the police station Rick is grateful that he had done research on small to way radios. The ones that they were using were micro earbud models. He could hear Alexis clear as a bell. She gave him a target that she thought could be Katherine and he would study the person walking into the 12th. He would reply with a negative most of the time.

/

Kate was dreading getting out of bed. This life she was carrying was draining all of her energy. If it was not for the hour break to get something to eat at lunch, she can't imagine making it through the day. Dragging herself out of bed she heads for the shower and starts the water. While waiting for the water to get warm enough she sets up the coffee maker and brews a cup to take with her. It will be waiting for her when she is done with her shower. Now dressed, she picks up her weapon, shield, and her bag and makes her coffee to her liking. She snaps the lid into place and she is off. Arriving at work she parks her car and locks it up. As she walks towards the precinct she drains the last of her coffee and stops into the café to get one more cup. She knows that the doctor told her not to have any, but she has to indulge in this one guilty pleasure.

Alexis had noticed the dark blue unmarked Crown Vic as it turns into the parking lot. As she drove by she had a vague description of the woman, she could be her. She would need to wait until she came out of the coffee shop to be sure.

"Papa Bear, this is Baby Bear, over."

"Go Baby Bear."

"I have eyes on a possible target. Stand by."

"Copy that."

Rick thought to himself. What would happen now? She told him that she did not want him to look for her and he did just the opposite. Would she be mad? Would she even care?" Rick was torn, maybe finding her was not such a good idea. Seconds later Alexis came back on the radio.

"Papa Bear, I have eyes on the target. She looks like she could be the one. Are you in position?"

"Copy, I'm moving into position two at this time."

Alexis takes a closer look at Katherine. Soon the radio comes alive once more in Rick's ear.

"Papa Bear, Papa Bear, Abort, I repeat again Abort...please confirm."

"Baby Bear, repeat, please."

"Papa Bear, I repeat again fall back to the first position. Copy?"

"Copy that. Falling back."

Alexis watched as Katherine entered the precinct before the radio came alive once again.  
"Papa Bear, come in."

"Go baby Bear."

"Target had an additional asset. Rendezvous at position zero copy?"

"Copy en route."


	7. Chapter 7

7

Kate made it to the precinct with just time to spare. She made it a goal to arrive there before her captain or Espo and Ryan. Sipping her sinful brown liquid she takes the seat behind her desk. She was almost through the list that she had from the FBI database. There were only 63 names left to run down. She had given up on going to the book signings because after thinking about it, he would probably not be a writer. So she continued looking at the results from the FBI. After about an hour of sifting through the results, she had something that sounded like it could be him. This person was arrested for being nude on of all things a stolen police horse in Central Park.

She read on and found out that he had a local address close to the precinct. There was an attachment along with the file and she opened it. Kate just stopped breathing at this point. The attachment was a mug shot of the man she had picked up that night, one Richard Castle. Kate was floored. When the picture finally loaded, it showed a younger Richard Castle, but it was definitely him. She was so far off in thinking that he was not a writer and had gone on to thinking he was something else. And he was rich. Not mega rich but she knew he had money. This was not the point she could care less about his net worth. She needed to see him so since her coffee was gone she decided that she needed a refill.

Since her captain and neither Espo or Ryan were here yet, she decided to leave through the stairwell exit of the precinct. It would afford her the cover she needed so that her boss or co-workers wouldn't have even known she had come in this morning. Taking a hold of her bag and coat, she quickly left. On the way out she pulled her cell phone out and placed a call to the captain's number and getting his voice mail. When prompted she told him that she was feeling a little under the weather. A little white lie wouldn't hurt, besides she was pregnant who would question her.

/

Rick and Alexis had finally come up with a plan to get into the 12th. After she told him that Kate was expecting a baby, now he really needed to see her and talk. He had a thought that the baby could be his, but Alexis wanted a rundown of the plan once more and he quickly pushed the thought to the back of his mind telling her what they were going to do. They would gain entry with Alexis delivering a breakfast order to the homicide division and Rick would be outside on the sidewalk across the street waiting to hear what she found out with the ear bud radios. Rick bought an assortment of ham and egg sandwiches. 10 cups of coffee and bottled OJ. Alexis steadily took the box and walked across the street to the double doors of the precinct. Seeing the desk sergeant she walked up to him.

"Hi, I have a delivery for the homicide division." Alexis tried to act convincingly.

The Sergeant eyed the sandwiches. Alexis caught on with eye contact alone.

"Sergeant It seems that I might have an extra ham and egg with a regular coffee..."

The desk sergeant cracks a small smile as Alexis left the food and coffee on the desk. She turns and it's then when she hears the sergeant call out to her "Homicide is on the 4th floor. Take the elevator to the right."

/

Kate decided to take her car rather than the assigned squad car. Getting in she started the car and exited the rear lot. Rick had an eye on her unmarked car the whole time so he was sure she was still in the building. She was all nervous as she drove to So-Ho. This was it. She would finally meet him after all this time. She pulled up to Broome street and made her turn. Pulling up to the address she stopped and just stared at the apartment. It was huge and it seemed to be just one unit. Leaving the car, she walked up to the glass doors of his lobby.

/

Alexis had stepped onto the 4th floor and started looking for their target. Talking discreetly into her sleeve she said, "Papa Bear this is Baby Bear do you copy?"

"5x5 Baby Bear." He replied.

"Okay, I'm on the homicide floor and I am going to make contact with another detective."

"Copy, keep me up to date."

Alexis moves slowly over to the first detectives desk she sees. He's on the phone, so she waits. He finishes with his call, hangs up the phone and looks up to her.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Maybe you can. I'm looking for a detective Beckett I have a delivery for her."

"Okay, I'm detective Ryan." As Ryan looks over to Kate's desk he sees that it's empty.

"Well, she does not seem to be here at the moment. Are these sandwiches and coffee all for her?"

"No, actually they are for the entire floor. So dig in. Do you expect her back anytime soon?"

"Can you hold on and I'll check with my Captain."

Ryan walks over to Captain Montgomery's office and asks if Kate is in the building. He waits as the captain explains that she is out on a sick day and returns back to his desk.

"Miss I'm sorry, but detective Beckett will not be in today. Is there something else you needed?"

"No, I'm good for now, thank-you very much." Alexis walks away confused to say the least. It's not possible since she and her dad watched Kate walk into the precinct.

/

Kate walked into the lobby of his building and stopped by the doorman's desk.

"Hello, I'm here to see Richard Castle."

"Is he expecting you?" Carlos asks.

"Actually he's not, this pertains to a police matter." Kate said as she pulled out her badge. She resorted to abusing her badge for the first time for personal gain, but who else would know.

"Detective he actually got an early start to the day. He was up and out of here by 6:00 am. Should I give him a message when he returns?"

Kate's whole body posture had changed. She thought that today was the day she finally could sit down and talk to him.

"Actually, there is no message, I'll try to catch him some other time. Thanks, Carlos."

"No problem, detective."

Kate wants to go to her apartment for two reasons. First she called in sick, and second she needs to regroup. She decides not to go back and just puts his loft under a modified stake out. That's when she will confront him. She returns back to her car and waits. It's now 10:14 am and she really needs to pee. Fifteen minutes later she notices a cab pull up and it stops right in front of her. She slides down into the drivers seat just a little bit and observes. They both get out of the cab, and she swears that they are talking about her. Something about someone not being somewhere.

They walk to the doors to the loft like they just lost their puppy. So she waits until they are out of view and moving towards the elevator. It's now or never hoping that they have both made it back to his loft she leaves her car and enters the lobby. Checking in with Carlos again, he gives her the okay to go up and see him. She takes the elevator and is now standing at his front door. She is now scared as to what will happen now. When she first wanted to find him she was happy about doing it, initially she told him that this would be a one-time meeting but now she thought that they could be something good together. Now, standing at his door, she had her doubts.

Realizing that the time is now, she raises her hand to knock. She does it lightly at first and then after she hears nothing, she then raps on the door with more force. She hears a female voice telling her to hold on and that she will be right there. The door swings open and she is face to face with the young redhead. Alexis's face drops when she sees Kate knowing who she is.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Maybe, I'm looking for Richard Castle." Kate's mind is now reeling, just who is this woman, she can't be more than 19 or 20.

"Dad, you have a visitor." Alexis yells out with a slight grin on her face.

Dad? He has a daughter. Well, she never saw that coming. Kate instinctively lowers her hands to her baby bump. She hears heavy footsteps coming towards the door. She follows his approach to the door and it's him. She finally found him. He looks at her and then he sees the love in her eyes, as he takes her in more closely he notices her baby bump.

"Hello, how are you, Kate?"

"Wait, how do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you detective."

"Well, we'll see about that." Knowing that she needs to tell him about what happened the night they met and her current condition.

Alexis watches the interaction between the two and it has stalled they are not saying anything.

"Dad, manners!"

"Oh, right. Kate come in please and make yourself comfortable. Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, could I use the bathroom, I really need to pee."

He chuckles as he directs her to the bathroom and she leaves them. The computer generated image that Alexis has made had nothing on her. She is even more stunning than he remembers. And she's in his loft! As he waits for her to return he needs a way to start a talk about what he thinks are on both of their minds. The bathroom light goes off and she is again in standing in the living room of the loft.

"So Kate, is there anything you want to tell me?"

A crimson color rises up Kate's face. She just bows her head. Not knowing where to start, she opens her mouth, but before she can utter a word Rick really needs to know the answer to this question "Kate is the baby mine?"

All he hears next is Alexis gasp...

 **A/N: With this latest chapter comes an apology. After receiving numerous guest reviews along with some fanfic members complaining that I was dragging out their actually finding each other, this chapter fixes that. When I was writing the previous chapters, I thought the chase was what the readers would like to see. Apparently I was mistaken. There will be one or two more chapters, and an epilog. Then it will end.**


	8. Chapter 8

Alexis just looks at Kate with a facial expression that says it all. Kate needs to explain why she did what she did.

"Mr. Castle. I will tell you what's going on but before I do this can I ask you just one question?"

"Detective, please stop calling me Mr. Castle it makes me sound old and I'm far from it. Please call me Rick."

"Alright Rick, you already know my name, so please call me Kate."

"So Kate what's your question?"

"This might sound just a little bit crazy on my part, but it seems that I might have made a mistake when I told you that I really did not want you trying to find me after I left that morning."

"Okay, but I did not hear a question in your last statement."

"Give me a second, I'm trying to figure out how to ask it."

"Oh so your stalling?" "I'm not stalling!" "Are too." "What are you 9?"

Alexis just stares at the easy flowing banter between the two of them. It's like they were meant to be together. She has never seen this side of her father. Rick moves over to the couch to take a seat, all the time keeping an eye on Kate as she figures out how to ask him what she needs to ask him. Kate approaches and she has it in her head how to talk to Rick. She sits down near him and starts.

"Rick, I have been looking for you since the night we met. I really want to know if you are seeing someone or do you have someone serious in your life?"

"Kate, I'm really sorry, but yes I do have someone. Someone whom I care a lot about." Kate's whole life has just fell apart, what was she going to do, she never thought that she would be a single mother, she had to have thought about him being with someone else, she was such an idiot. She needs him...

"And I'm looking right at her. Kate I have been looking for you since that night also. There was just something between us that I can't explain. You are like an addiction that I can't get enough of. Just ask my daughter. I've been driving her nuts trying to find you too."

"Your daughter?"

"Kate, ohhh I'm so sorry, this is my daughter Alexis. Alexis, this is Kate Beckett."

Alexis extends her hand to shake Kate's. Kate does the same. "So Alexis you two have been looking for me?"

"Kate, you have no idea." Alexis rushes over to her laptop and brings it over for Kate to see the computer generated image she made of her months ago.

"Wow that really looks like me! Where did you put these ahh...fliers... I guess you'd call them?" She asked looking at the outline on the laptop.

"Actually I went back and saturated them in the area of the hotel we were at." Rick says.

"Well I have never been back to that place since. It was a place that I knew well but now I'm not too sure I want to anymore."

"Kate we need to talk and I know that you're avoiding the subject here."

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's just that I'd thought I'd never find you."

"Okay, can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure Rick, what would you want to know?"

"Well the big question on my mind is that bundle of joy that you seem t be carrying around with you...is he/she my baby?"

"Yes, she is." Alexis quietly cheers for her as of yet unborn sister.

"She?" Rick says with wonder.

"Yes, I found out last week that I'm having a girl."

"So Kate, is there anyone that is keeping your bed warm at home?"

"Well, actually there was but not anymore. He asked me to leave by the time he returned from the Amazon."

"Wait, I don't understand, you were with him and you at least liked him right?" Rick questioned.

"Of course. But he was all about his mission, he is a workaholic and as of right now he does not know about the baby. He told me to make sure I was gone from his life when he got back and I'm doing exactly that. He does not need to know about our baby."

Kate was hoping that Rick would take her saying "our" baby in stride. So when he asked to talk to Alexis alone she asked if she could get a glass of water while they talked. He said sure. They talked for a while and about an hour later Rick walked up to Kate.

"Kate, We only made love once. And now you are expecting our daughter. I have a lot of things to ask of you but I'm not too sure if I'll be overstepping my bounds."

"Try me, Rick."

"Okay. First where are you living?"

"I'm staying with my dad until I had the baby and then when my maternity leave ran out I was going to hopefully be set up in an apartment by myself."

"Kate, how in the world are you going to do that?" "Who are you going to get to watch a 3 month old?"

"I was looking into a pre-care type school. This way I could work and be there in time at the end of the day to still have time to see her."

"Okay Who is your baby coach?"

"Baby coach? What's that?"

"Kate, that is the person who takes you to Lamaze classes, has the plan to get you through the labor and delivery with as little anxiety as possible. So who is it?"

In a small voice, Kate replies "Rick I don't have anyone like that in my life."

"Well, that's going to change. Alexis can you please come here and have a seat with myself and Kate."

"Sure dad" Alexis replies happily knowing what he is up to.

"Kate, what I am going to suggest to you might a bit over the top, but since I am in love with you I think what I am going to say will help both of us."

"Okay Rick...go on." Kate moves uneasily on the leather couch. Knowing that something bad will probably come next.

"Well we have talked it over between ourselves. We would like you to move in the loft with us. I will be your baby coach and I will take care of her after you have her. You don't need to worry about finding yourself an apartment, or a pre-care school. Plus the precinct is only about 12 blocks from here. All I ask you is that you give my offer some serious thought before answering."

"Rick, I will take your offer and give it some thought. But first I'd like to ask if you and Alexis would like to come out with me for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Sure I'm okay with that. Pumpkin what about you?"

"I only have a study group after class but I should be back by 5. What time did you have in mind Kate?"

"How does 6:30 sound?"

"I don't think it will be a problem. Can you text me with the location? I'm going to get some sleep. Early start in the morning. Please excuse me."

"So Rick, what about you?"

"Kate that will be fine. Would you want me to pick you up? Or would you like to have a car bring you to where we are going to?"

"Rick, I'll just catch a cab."

"Kate really I insist. Let me take care of you."

"Well okay. Can you have a car at this address by 6pm And I'll send you a text when I decide on a good place."

"Okay Kate, I will hold you to that."

"Rick, now that that's settled, I am going to head out. I told my dad that I'd be back by dinner. So can I call you later on tonight?"

"Yes Kate, I'd like that. But could you tell me what you want to talk about tomorrow at dinner?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. I will call you later tonight."

Kate gathers up her things and walks out of his loft. She is home in no time and her dad is waiting with dinner just about ready to be served.

"So did your FBI search bring you any results, Katie?"

"Dad, it did. I found him! But he has a proposition for me and I need to give it a lot of thought."

"Okay Katie. Dinner is ready. Care to talk bout it with your old man?"

"Dad is it okay if I don't? I mean not the proposition. I will tell you that he has a 19 year old daughter, and she seems amazing."

"Hmm, so I take it that this meet went well?"

"It did dad, on so many levels. Let's dig in. I'm starving."


	9. Chapter 9

Kate sat at the dining room table and just looked at her dad. She wanted to tell him about his offer and now she was thinking that this is what she should do.

"Dad, I want to ask you something and by all means please be brutally honest with your answer alright?"

"Katie, I'd never answer you in any other way."

"Okay, Rick has asked me to let him take care of me until the baby is born. Then, he wants to help me take care of her when I return to work after my maternity leave is done."

"So what's the question?"

"Yeah sorry about that, should I?"

"Katie, I thought that you did not want to talk about his proposal?"

"Yeah well, dad, it's got me thinking but not the thinking that I should be doing."

"Katie, I'm going to need a road map if you want me to follow along with this conversation."

"I'm sorry dad. On one hand, I need to give some serious thought to Ricks request. But on the other hand, I hope that all this will turn into something more between us. Dad, I think I'm falling hard for him."

"Katie, forget about what your brain is telling you, what does your heart tell you? That's where you'll find your answer. Just consider this...Is he the one that you can't live with if you two have never found each other?"

"Yeah, dad I'm sure of it. Even though I just met him this morning, it feels like I have known him all my life. Maybe it's the books or maybe it's the fact that I'm carrying his daughter. There's something that connects me to him on more of an emotional level. Did I tell you that his daughter helped him try to find me?"

"No, how did she do that?"

"Actually she had a program in her laptop that could produce an image on someone just by entering certain descriptors. When she showed me the image I could have sworn that I was looking into a mirror, it was that good."

"Well Katie, you need to sit down and do what your mother would have done. Make a list of the good and the bad. Then re-read it about 10 times until it starts to make sense to you."

"I know dad. But listen I do need your help with a place to eat tomorrow night. An Italian place, not too fancy, but not a hole in the wall either."

"Katie, let me let you in on a secret...sometimes the hole in the wall places are the best.  
However, I have a place in mind that won't take away your allowance."

Jim writes down the address and hands it to her. "Is it expensive?"

"Katie it's an Italian place, of course, it's expensive. Why should that even matter?"

"Because dad I'm paying."

"Wait, he's loaded and your paying? What's wrong here?"

"Dad I invited him out to dinner. Oh and speaking of that, can you come with me? I need some support for what I need to do next."

"Katie, I don't know. You want me to meet the father of my grandchild? Of course, I'll go with you. I would not miss it for the world!"

Kate smiles at her dad. A quiet "thanks" comes from her mouth. Tears start to fall and her dad asks her what's wrong.

"Katie what's wrong?"

"Dad don't worry about me, it's just these damn hormones running loose around my body."

Well okay, then I will clean up and then after doing the dishes I'm heading to bed. Just yell if you need anything."

"Thanks, dad...and I mean for everything."

"Anytime honey!"

Jim makes quick work of the dishes in the sink and as he is drying his hands off on the dish towel and looks at his daughter. She is thinking and he can tell by the way her forehead creases up as she thinks. It's funny, when she was younger they could not shut her up. Now with being an adult, with a whole bunch of adult problems she seems more at peace now that she has finally found Rick. Maybe he was the key. Who knew, he just hopes that everything goes well for her tomorrow night.

"Okay Katie, I'm off to bed."

"Good night dad, see you in the morning."

"Good night."

/

Rick was wondering when she would call. She said she would call tonight, maybe the talk with her dad did not go as she had planned. He was just a little worried.

Alexis could tell he was going into self-destruction mode just by the look on his face. She walked up to him and said, "Dad chill. She will call, remember she promised you that she would."

"Yeah, your right I guess. It's just that I have a nagging feeling that something went wrong."

"Dad relax, you're making a big deal out of nothing." Then as Alexis finished her last sentence her dad's phone started to ring.

"See what did I tell you," She said just hoping it was Kate on the calling end.

Rick answers with a hearty hello.

"Hey, Rick it's me, Kate. I have the address for that Italian place that I wanted to bring you to. I made reservations for 6:00 tomorrow night, is that okay with you and your family?"

"Kate that's fine. Just hold on a sec and I'll get a pen and a piece of paper to write down the address."

"Rick don't bother, I'll just text it to you. No fuss, no muss."

"Yeah, forgot about that, thanks."

"So Kate how was dinner with your dad?"

"It was good, we talked a lot." Rick is it okay if I asked him to come along with us?"

Kate, it's more than fine he's your dad. What about your mom will be coming with us too?'

The line went silent and then Rick was wondering if the call had disconnected. About 3 minutes had passed with no reply. He was starting to get worried, had he done something wrong? Then there was a quiet sound. He could barely make it out.

" _Rick, I'll call you tomorrow. I'm sorry"_

"Kate, Kate, Are you there?"

This time, the line really was dead. He tried to call back and his call went directly to her voice mail. He left a generic message hoping she was fine and apologized. Kate retreated to the bathroom and leaned up against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor opposite the toilet. She started to cry quietly and this is what she was still doing when her father walked into the bathroom at 2:45 in the morning.

"Katie, what's wrong?"

"Dad go back to sleep it's silly."

"It can't be that silly if you've been in here for the last 3 hours and you have not worked out what's wrong yet. You know the walls are not that thick"

"Dad it's something Rick said."

"Oh, what was that?"

"I asked him if it was okay if I brought you along for our dinner tonight. He said it's fine, you're my dad and then he asked if mom was going to be able to come too."

"Katie I gather that he does not know about mom... am I right?

"You would be right."

"Oh, Katie. Please don't get upset over something like this. How could he have known? It was just a gut question he asked. Do you want me to call him?"

"No dad that's fine I'll call him later this morning and ask him to come out for brunch with me. Then I'll explain it all to him."

Katie are you sure you don't want me to call him?"

"I'm sure dad, but thanks just the same."

"Katie, you know that's only one of your problems...right?"

She looks to her dad questioning his statement "Dad what are you talking about?"

"Katie, you need to tell him about Josh."

"Dad I don't think that's a good idea. I am no longer in his life and he told me to be gone when he got back from wherever it was he was going to,"

"Katie trust me this is big, you need to tell him. No lies! Okay?"

They both head back to bed. This time, Kate sleeps in until about nine and the first thing she does is to call Rick.

"Hi Rick, I am sorry about last night. Can we get together for brunch in about an hour? I really need to talk to you."

"Sure Kate, I know just the place. It's in Tribecca a place called Sarabeth's. Great food and atmosphere. I'll call in for a table around 10:30?"

"Rick that would be great. See you then?"

"Sure thing. See you."

"Bye."

Now Kate needed a way to tell him that her mom was murdered all those years ago. She was sad last night because her mom won't be able to meet her granddaughter. When Rick asked her if her mom was coming, it opened up a floodgate of emotions. She missed her deeply. She had put it behind her and it did no good to be dragging up the past. Her therapist taught her this and she had learned. But that's not to say that she could not break down every once and a while. It was not like she was obsessed with her death. People die and that was life. Then she had to tell him about Josh. She was going to regret that conversation.


	10. Chapter 10

Tonight was the night. She would meet with Rick's family for dinner and they would meet her dad. After her dad gave up the notion about trying to smooth things over for her with Rick, he retired to bed. She, on the other hand, stayed up to figure out how she was going to tell him that first Josh was just now someone that she only knew as an acquaintance and he meant nothing to her now and that she was falling for him...hard. And secondly, her mother was taken from her years ago. She just had to get her head around the conversation in her mind before she could tell him in person.

Rick woke early the morning he was to meet with Kate for dinner, but what puzzled him more than that was the fact that she had called just 5 minutes ago asking him to brunch. He wanted to talk to his mother and Alexis. He did not want his mother to say anything that might make rethink her feelings for him. He wanted tonight to go as smooth as possible. He already had an Armani suit custom made yesterday, it's amazing what you can do if you have cash! He asked Alexis and his mother if they wanted to get dresses and the accompanying accessories that go with said dresses. Man that was a silly question to ask two women who loved spending money. They took about 4 hours in the dress boutique alone. They returned about 6 hours later with all they needed. So now he was going to shower, dress and meet Kate. Then the real work would start.

He had an appointment to pick up his new suit at 1 pm. Now, he might be jumping the gun here just a little but he thought seriously about visiting his friend Sean at Omega jewelers. He would have an extra hour and a half between Kate and picking up his suit so he thought that he would do just that. He'd pick out a nice 4 or 5 karat engagement ring and the bands to match. He would ask her at dinner in front of everyone. He felt it was the right thing to do. And he knew what her answer would be, he was sure.

Meeting in Tribecca at Sarabeth's was a great idea. He loved the atmosphere of the place and he hoped Kate did as well. He made it there before she had and asked for a table for two, away from the crowd. The hostess gave him a secluded table. He took a seat and waited. It turns out that his wait was a short one. Kate's face brightened up almost 10 fold when she noticed him sitting at the table waiting for her. She pulls out the chair and sits.

"So Rick, were you waiting long?"

"No Kate, only about 5 minutes."

"So how did you sleep last night?"

"Honestly?" Rick asks her.

Kate shakes her head not trusting her voice enough to answer.

"Kate listen, it's like I was missing you the whole time I was in my bed. I can't explain it, but I actually slept like crap last night, if you call what I did sleep. I don't know how you did it, but you have turned me into a big puddle of goo. I can't stop thinking about you."

Kate replies in a soft voice... "me too."

"Okay, how about we order some food?"

"Sounds great! I'm starving."

The waitress walks up to them and she takes their orders. Now Kate needs to be honest with Rick. She was going to wait until dinner tonight, but she figures that tonight would be about telling their family about how they met. Not about her ex-boyfriend. Now was a good time as ever...

"Rick, can we talk?"

"Sure Kate, what's on your mind?" Rick cringed as he asked.

"It's nothing bad for us, well at least I hope not."

"Okay, so tell me then."

Kate was so reluctant, this news could either make them or send him running for the hills. So she started

"Rick, I was involved with a doctor who now is out doing work around the world. Mostly in deprived places. On his last trip, I pushed the fact that I wanted a child. I was willing to adopt one with him of course. It's just that he had taken what I was suggesting the wrong way. You see he is unable to father a child of his own. And the thought of him being an adoptive father was not something he would think about doing."

"Kate, why?"

"Rick I'm not too sure why. But he gave me an ultimatum right before he left on his current trip."

"Yeah, what was that?"

"He wanted me gone from his life and out of the apartment."

"Kate, I don't understand, Did he love you?"

"Rick I really don't think he did. But it's just as well. That night after he left well that's the night we met. I could not be happier! I just hope that you can forgive me."

"Kate what on earth for?"

"Well, I was still "with" him when we slept together."

"Kate the way I see it...you were NOT with him when we met. He had already asked you to be gone when he got back, am I right?"

Kate nods yes.

"So in my book that made you a free agent. And you could see whomever you wanted to. And do you know what?"

"What Rick?"

"I'm glad that you found me that night."

Kate has a smile that stretches from one ear to the other. But she still needs to tell him about her mother. The smile fades a little and Rick notices.

"Rick there is one more thing. It's about my mom. The other night you had asked if she would be coming to dinner with us. Well, the fact of the matter is..."

"Kate, what is it?"

"Rick listen this is so very hard for me. Just give me a second okay?"

Sure Kate, take all the time you need."

Kate collects herself and rubs her hand over her belly as if she is drawing strength from her unborn child. Then she tells Rick the moments that her mother was taken from her. When she is finished he is unmoving, still, and has a look of shock on his face.

"Kate, I'm so sorry. I did not know, can you ever forgive me?"

"Listen, Rick, that was a long time ago. I have learned through therapy that things happen in your life. They should not drive you to find answers. What happened in the past should stay there. Sure I miss her, but I've learned to deal with it. I'm better because of it."

"Katherine Beckett you, my dear are a strong woman!" Rick praises her.

"Thanks, Rick. Well, that's pretty much all I wanted to tell you. See not that bad, right?"

"Nope not at all. So how about we get out of here and get ready for our dinner tonight. It's almost 1 pm and I have some errands to run."

"Okay, that sounds like a plan. I'll see you at the restaurant at 6:30 tonight?"

"I would not miss it for the world."

"Bye Rick" Kate leans in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but just as she is about to reach him he turns his head and her lips land directly on his. Startled at first, instinct kicks in and soon they are in a would all of their own.

Their make out session lasts about 5 minutes. But he is the one to break it off stating that he really needs to get going.

His first stop is the tailors. He picks up his Armani suit and is happy with the results. The next stop is his friend Sean at Omega jewelers.

Walking into the shop he sees Sean. "Rick good to see you! Sean says in his Slavic accent.

"Likewise Sean. Is it ready?"

"Actually Tim is just putting the finishing touches on it as we speak."

"Great." Rick moved over to another display case and looks at the gems for sale.

"Rick, are you ready?"

"I am let's see it..." All Rick can do is stare at the ring and bands in awe! They are perfect. The engagement ring is 3.5 karats and pear shaped, mounted in a platinum setting with a platinum band. The diamond is stunning. The bands are also. Sean did an excellent job.

"Wow, Sean this is amazing. She will love them. Where do I sign?"

"Okay, Rick the rock is a pear shaped 3.52 karat F VS1. Price $68,450.00. The platinum setting is $920.00. Grand total of $69,370.00 I can bring that down to an even $69,000.00. The wedding bands are my gift to you!"

"Thanks, Sean, here is my Amex. Just charge it."

Rick carried his purchase and his new suit back to the loft. He wanted to show Alexis the ring, he hoped that she would like it because if she liked it then he knew Kate would love it.

Alexis bounds down the stairs when she hears the front door open and close. Rick cautiously walks over to her with his hand behind his back.

"Dad what's behind your back?"

"Oh, just a little something I picked up on the way home."

"Come on let me see" Alexis begs.

"Well okay then." Rick pulls the small velvet covered ring box out from behind his back and hands it to her. She opens the box slowly looking inside. In the box, she sees the engagement ring and her wedding band. They are a perfect match.

"Dad they are amazing! Absolutely amazing! She will love them."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so. They are so right for her!"

"Good, I'm glad you approve because I'm asking her at dinner tonight."

"Dad I'm so glad that we found her. She is your perfect match."

Rick thinks back to when this all started, at first he thought he would never find her. Now he has found the love of his life and he is never going to let her go. Josh doesn't know what he has lost.

"Okay pumpkin, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, dad just let me get my wrap. Then I'll be all set."

They arrive at the restaurant about 10 minutes early. His mother will meet them there when she is done with her acting classes. He finds the table that Kate has reserved for their dinner tonight. He and Alexis take notice of where to sit since the staff has placed name tags on the plates. This actually works out perfectly. Kate is sitting at the right side of her father who is sitting placed at the head of the table. And he is sitting right next to her. It will be simple. All he has to do is get up take two steps do a 180 and get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. It's too easy.

Kate arrives and her dad is giving Rick the evil eye. Like he knows something is up. Rick politely looks away and then at Kate.

"So Kate have you been here before?"

"Actually Rick, me and my dad used to come here all the time, now not so much." Kate gives her dad an eye roll.

"What, you are always working, I always ask you to come to dinner here with me."

"Yeah, when was the last time huh dad?"

"Ahhh about 6 months ago." Jim sheepishly admits.

"There that just proves my point."

Kate looks back at Rick, "Babe just ignore his evil eye, he's not that intimidating with it anymore!"

They order the appetizers and at the same time place the dinner order. Alexis thinks this time is the best time to ask her, so she makes her dad know this little fact and kicks him in the shin under the table.

"Owww. What was that for" He asked her in a whisper, Alexis tosses her eyes towards Kate many times and Rick looks at her wondering if she is having an epileptic fit. So she gives him another kick (enjoying it so much) and gives him the eye and points to her ring finger. Now he gets it. He gives her a questioning face as if to indicate "now?" She just nods her head.

He gets up but in his haste in getting up he did not notice that Alexis had accidently draped the table cloth over his feet when she had kicked him...twice. He moves to get up and turn to his right as he started to walk the two simple steps to be in front of her he had his feet tangled up in the table cloth and he loses his footing and starts to fall. Trying to grab onto the back of her chair it just gets worse from that point on. He is holding the ring box in the hand he tries to save himself from falling and it pops out of his hand onto the table as he goes down like a ton of bricks. Alexis is looking at the box and then to Kate. Hoping that she won't see the box jumping around the table like a jumping bean. She quickly makes a move for it and she is glad that Kate is watching her dad fall to the floor. Rick tries to get up off the floor, but his legs have now become tangled in the table cloth that is now off the table completely, along with their drinks.

"Rick, are you okay?" Kate asks

Alexis is now having a giggling fit at the table. Kate looks over and she tries to stop but is unsuccessful.

"Alexis what's so funny?"

"Kate you'll find out soon enough Kate." She says as Rick finally gets the table cloth off his legs and gets to one knee.

Kate turns around, looking directly into Rick's eyes. Alexis makes a throwing motion and Rick automatically raises his hand to catch the ring box. Perfect throw.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Rick opens the box and offers the ring to Kate. She just stares at the sheer size of the ring. After about a good two minutes...

"Kate, really not getting any younger here!"

"WOW I'm sorry Rick, Yes I will marry you. I love you!"

"I love you too baby!" He takes her into his arms and hugs her for a long time.

Rick gets up and gives Alexis a look, she responds with a look of her own as if to say that it was not her fault he fell.

The meal comes and they eat and talk getting to know each other. His mother arrives and he introduces her to everybody. Things are good. The dinner breaks up around nine and they go their separate ways. Kate and Rick are standing by his car and he asks is she would like to spend the night with him since she will be the mother of his child and it will be the first time they have been together since the first night they met. Kate is a little hesitant at first but after thinking about it she decides that it would be fine. He is the father of her child. They get into his limo and he brings them back to the loft.

 **Well, this will be the last full chapter. Epilog to follow. I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed and faved this story. It makes me take a step back and work harder as a writer knowing that people like what I am writing.**


	11. Epilog

After their successful dinner, Rick and Kate spent the night at his loft. They had been able to recreate the night they had met and conceived their baby, Elizabeth Johanna. That was until Kate's water broke and they had to get to the hospital. It was about 15 hours later that their daughter came into this world. They were so happy and Kate knew that with the attention that Rick was showing towards her and their daughter, she had made the right decision. It was quickly coming up on their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married shortly after Elizabeth was 2 months old. Kate looks back on their family and all they have lived through. Since they had Elizabeth Johanna, Kate was happy to grace Rick with 4 more children, There was Bethany Anne, Robert Patrick, Sarah Catherine, and Christopher Blake. All their children were blessed with all their love. They were the best thing in their lives, but now their lives were now slowly winding down. The children were all grown and had lives of their own.

Elizabeth Johanna was 48 and was an award-winning New York Times best-selling author. She took after Rick in the fact that she was a writer, but instead of writing fiction she wrote serious literature. She was married to her husband Gary and lived not too far from Rick and Kate. She had 3 children, 2 girls, and 1 boy.

Bethany Anne was a strong woman and followed Kate into her profession. She had beat the record that Kate had held for over 24 years, Bethany had broken Kate's record and had become the youngest female ever to become a detective within the NYPD. She had beat her mother by three weeks and she was proud of this. But she had moved up faster than her mother by becoming the first female to take over as the department's chief of detectives. She had just turned 46.

Robert Patrick had taken a different road in his quest for employment. He had always been fascinated by the buildings that graced the skylines of any major city, especially New York City and Chicago. Chicago is where he had finally settled and put his schooling to good use. He lived in a suburb of Chicago it was about 35 miles north of the city in a town called Lake Forest. He met and married a woman he met at a social gathering his company had put together one night. They fell in love and have been married for the last 23 years. He had designed some of the most visual beautiful buildings all around the world. He would often show off his buildings to his twin daughters, Anne, and Traci. He was 43.

Sarah Catherine was the artist in the family. She had been all over most of Europe and had finally settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There were a lot of other artists she had met there and she had formed a collective which had in turn gave way to some of the world's best artists seeking out her compound, and she would never turn anyone away. They had turned out some of the best paintings the world had ever seen. She had just celebrated her 41st birthday with her partner Abby.

Christopher Blake was the boy who wanted it all when he grew up. He had always dreamed of flying. He was the boy who had taken a flight course when he was 14. He had saved enough money from his jobs to buy a course at the local airport which consisted of 40 hours of classroom training and then a hands-on flight in a Cessna 182. After taking and passing the course, the instructor had asked him if this was something he wanted to pursue. He told him that it was what he wanted more in his life to do. The instructor had gathered his contact information and called Rick explaining to him that he would teach him all about aviation. Soon Christopher had graduated to the Cessna Citation twin-engine jet and received his license to pilot that plane. He had told the instructor that while he loved flying commercially he had always wanted to be a military fighter pilot. The instructor had seen this early in his training and had contacted the U.S. Naval Academy. Christopher was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy after graduating at the top 3% of his class. While on a combat mission over Libya, Christopher had been assigned to the USS George Washington CVN-73. His plane was shot down in one of the first sorties against ISIS. He was 39 years old when he was killed in action. He was buried with full military honors.

Rick and Kate were happy with the way their lives had turned out, some happy times and definitively some sad times. But as Kate thinks back to that night, it all happened on a rainy night seeing him standing there in the rain...

 **This brings a close to All I Wanna Do! I am so glad that the readers here liked this story enough to follow and favorite it. It has been a great ride, but this fic was only supposed to be a two or three shot at most! It was all the readers who gave me the strength to write more than the planned 3 chapters...you were the driving force in me to write from the heart. Thank-You so very much!. P2P Writer.**


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